Seminarians from the Pontifical North American College attend a Mass for the ordination of deacons from the college in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican Oct. 1, 2020. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)
“As the Father sent me, so I send you...”
So said Jesus to the Apostles after His Resurrection (John 20:21).
Indeed, the word “apostle” derives from the Greek word “απόστολος,” which means “one who is sent.” We know from Scripture that the Apostles left their homes not only to follow Jesus but also eventually to evangelize the nations far and wide.
Tradition with a “small t” tells us that they visited nearby lands along the Mediterranean Sea and frontiers as far away as Armenia, Britain, Ethiopia, Persia and India. They may have arrived in these lands alone or as part of a small group of fellow disciples. The Apostles were likely unaware or unfamiliar with the people, language, culture and customs of these distant lands.